Learn Hebrew Fast Online – Full Review

Learn Hebrew Fast Online is a video-based Hebrew course which enables learning of Hebrew through video lessons and exercises. The author of the course is Elana Watson, a Hebrew teacher.

Elana Watson has developed an innovative method for learning Hebrew. The method is called “Instant Hebrew” and it is focused on learning language in a childlike way, which disregards formal curriculum and it is aimed at acquiring language in a similar way children acquire their native language. Elana has based her approach on over 10 years of experience in teaching groups and individuals. In addition, she has conducted a lot of researches and spent some time in Israel which helped her to develop this method. The course is suitable for students of various ages, levels and special needs.

The learning process starts with a step-by-step presentation of the entire Hebrew alphabet which creates a foundation to start developing reading and writing. Elana compares the Hebrew alphabet to the English alphabet in order to make connections and to illustrate the differences.

After you have learned the Hebrew alphabet, you are ready to start acquiring first words. This way you start acquiring the language gradually by adopting some general concepts and ideas. The next step is to learn grammar, in which case Elana uses songs and drama. Not only will these activities illustrate patterns and language usage, but they will also engage learners as lesson materials will be presented in an interesting way. The final step is to combine everything and practice conversation in Hebrew. The goal of the learning process is to get students to start communicating and reading. Even the learners with no prior experience will be able motivated and confident enough to start reading Hebrew shortly.

The “Instant Hebrew” method has been improved and it is now called “David Method”. The method uses the bottom line approach starting with fundamental building blocks of Hebrew language. In this video, Elana explains the basics of writing and reading in Hebrew based on the “David Method” she uses in her courses and live classes:

How it works

“David Method” course:

Learn Hebrew Fast Online offers a 15-part Hebrew course based on the “David Method”. The course is designed for online learning and it helps people achieve results using the unique approach developed by Elana Watson.

The course is structured in a way that it enables you to analyze the text, to read, to sing songs and to write and use key phrases in your writing. The language that is being learned during the course is based on both modern and biblical Hebrew language. During the course you will also learn important information about the history and the culture related to Israel and Hebrew language.

The course based on the “David Method” is designed to be suitable for students of all ages, for people who are interested in learning the basics of Hebrew language, as well as at those interested in studying bible or visiting Israel.

“Instant Hebrew” course:

Instant Hebrew course is another course designed by Elana Watson. This course is based on the initial teaching method developed by Elana, called “Instant Hebrew” method. The main benefit of this course is that the course will help you to start reading Hebrew in just 2 hours.

The course is available on DVD and it contains three lessons:

Introduction to Hebrew letters and vowels. This lesson explores the basic elements of learning Hebrew.

Pronunciation lessons deals with speaking skill. After you hear the model of the correct pronunciation, your goal is to follow the model when practicing reading.

Word building lessons are aimed at revising the words from the lessons and introducing new vocabulary. This practice allows you to learn the basic vocabulary needed to understand and analyze the meaning of the materials used in the lessons.

The main goal of this course is to learn to read Hebrew in 120 minutes. You will be able to learn the basic structure of the Hebrew language which will enable you to:

Read the Hebrew used in the Bible

Follow along during Hebrew prayers

Learn Hebrew in order to be able to communicate while in Israel

Start teaching your children to read Hebrew

Online individual lessons:

Learn Hebrew Fast Online also offers the possibility of scheduling online individual lessons with Elana. The lessons are based on the “David Method” used in the course, but being completely individual, online lessons can be adapted to the specific needs of the students. In this way, students who are not comfortable with learning on their own, can get advice on how to approach Hebrew language in order to achieve the best results.

How do I know if this service can be helpful for me? How to choose the right plan/level?

Both courses start from the beginner level and cover the basics of Hebrew language. If you are an intermediate or advanced learner, you can consider online lessons, as the courses would not be challenging enough for you.

There is no way to try out courses or online lessons. Learn Hebrew Fast Online does not offer any free trial, which makes it difficult to evaluate the course before purchasing. What makes it even more difficult to evaluate is that the method used in the courses does not follow any standard curriculum, but instead it is created based on Elana’s experience in teaching. The only way, to get the slightest idea of how these courses are structured, is to read testimonials published on the Learn Hebrew Fast Online website.

The “Instant Hebrew” course is available at $37. The price of the “David Method” course, which includes 15 parts, is $27.

Pros

The unique approach based on years of experience.

Personalized approach to teaching, as Elana is the creator of the course and the teacher of Hebrew language.

The possibility to learn at your own pace, as you can learn the lessons in no particular order.

iPad version is available.

Cons

There is no lesson or an example of a lesson to see how exactly the course is structured.

The courses are created for beginner learners.

There are no additional resources available or online community where students could practice language and interact to each other.

Both of the courses are video-based courses. They do not use interactive software solutions and exercises. Method that is based on presentation leaves little or no place for practical usage through real-life examples.

FAQs

• Will this course help me develop all four language skills?

Having in mind the fact that the courses are video-based, they rely on video presentation of the lesson materials. It is not possible to develop all four language skills using this approach. While you will be able to learn some basic vocabulary and grammar, it is not possible to practice speaking or writing.

• Is it possible to get feedback?

The course itself provides no feedback. Nonetheless, if you schedule an online lesson at Learn Hebrew Fast Online, you will get the opportunity to ask the teacher about the lessons and to get additional help with learning Hebrew. Online lessons can help you evaluate your progress and ask any questions you have about learning Hebrew.

Final Say

Learn Hebrew Fast Online is a video-based course which is created for the learners of all ages. Even though the methods are developed based on the years of experience, they seem a little bit old-fashioned, as they simply use video presentation, and offer no possibility for practical usage. The lack of modern software features makes this course pretty limited and not particularly engaging. Yet, the presentations seem rather elaborate and informative, which could possibly be a good introduction to the process of learning Hebrew.